Snowed in

For the past couple of days, I have been seeing a lot of “I’m snowed in” status updates on Facebook and I thought to myself, “What a buncha wimps!  It’s not like we are in Winnipeg or something!”

So I got inside the Rabbit, and decided to drive out, only to have it stuck in snow for a total of 4, 5 times in the whole of yesterday.  Sad, I know.

But what I found out was how kind some of these Vancouverites are!  I had one stranger who helped to push my car after I got stuck leaving the Starbucks on MacDonald (and 16th, nice little neighborhood there).  Oh and before we leave this topic I have to say, the baristas there at that store were very, *ahem*, friendly, if you know what I mean *wink wink*.

And then, after work at the Ballroom, the accountant suggested that we would make sure we saw each other leave the parking lot okay before we actually left, and somehow I got stuck and he didn’t and so he helped to push my car, yet again.

I was quite touched.

And I wished I could rent a Jeep Wrangler just for the winter.

And I don’t think I did so hot at the Border Services interview.  Oh well.

SHC

Today I went and visited 163 again and actually put in $20 on one of those pretty little Christmas SBUX cards and ordered a Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate.

You know why I like the SCSHC?

Because it contains four ethically-sourced cocoas, bringing together a rich, complex flavor that is sure to please all chocolate lovers.  No wonder it is referred to as the sophisticated, cultured European cousin of the original Hot Chocolate.

Then the sea-salt on top extracts a completely different dimension out of the already soul-satisfying beverage.

Hmm……

Hmm…..

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm…………………

YUCK, IT’S SO FRICKING SWEET.  The Hazelnut syrup really shouldn’t be in there.

Give me Blenz’s White Hot Chocolate any day!  NOW THAT‘S SOME REAL HOT CHOCOLATE!!!

Back to Starbucks.

I have been visiting the one at Brentwood Mall every week now before my class at BCIT and I must say it has become my favourite store: at times they can have as many as 3 blonde baristas on the floor at the same time.

Now that’s great management.  Props to the store manager there.

A big part of the Starbucks experience is sustained by the partners being genuine and considerate, and they really showed it right there.

I miss 163

I have been sitting here, thinking about the past few months……and I do miss Starbucks.

Especially the opening shifts.

I always loved seeing my barista who would always grab her coffee from McDonald’s before opening.

Then, first comes the Chinese guy who literally waits at the door for me to open, everytime.  He gets his Tall Dark.  Then there’s usually a mix of truck drivers coming in to get their Grande coffees.  Then comes the youngish security guard looking guy who gets his Venti White Mocha.  Then comes the Filippino lady who’s always on the phone and always ordering her Double Tall Caramel Macchiato.  Then it goes on and on and on……

I always wondered what people meant when they told us noobs that we would be able to remember our customers by drink if not by name.

I never quite understood how you can remember a customer by drink.

Until I realized how, for example, it is much nicer to remember the “crazy gongshow semi-European lady who brings in her annoying dog and complains a lot” by remembering her by drink (Grande EZ Whip Green Tea Frappuccino® Blended Creme), rather than the description I have just had right here.

I miss Starbucks.  I think I will go back to visit.

Connect Discover Respond

A conversation about marriage sparked out of a “Starbucks Experience” conversation with a friend of mine.

You see, I had given her a pack of the Tazo Earl Grey tea I took out as my weekly markout a couple of weeks ago.  And so we were talking about her experience with the tea and how she is too impatient with steeping the tea (it is the barista’s job to inform our customers and friends that they are supposed to steep black tea for about 5 minutes, other teas for about 3 minutes).

Connect, discover, respond.  Very nicely done.

And then we moved onto talking about marriage and how God is preparing me for that lucky lady (oh how lucky she will be) and preparing that lucky lady for me, etc.  And I just gotta wait.

And so, it all made sense to me.

“Just gotta let that tea steep”.